A central problem in eukaryotic molecular biology continues to be the elucidation of molecules and mechanisms that mediate specific gene regulation in response to exogenous inducers such as hormones or growth factors. As part of the scientific attack on this problem, a great deal of work has been done in efforts to identify exogenous inducers which are capable of mediating specific gene regulation.
Although much remains to be learned about the specifics of gene regulation, it is known that exogenous inducers modulate gene transcription by acting in concert with intracellular components, including intracellular receptors and discrete DNA sequences known as hormone response elements (HREs).
As additional members of the steroid/thyroid superfamily of receptors are identified, the search for exogenous inducers for such newly discovered receptors (i.e., naturally occurring (or synthetic) inducers) has become an important part of the effort to learn about the specifics of gene regulation.
The retinoid members of the steroid/thyroid superfamily of receptors, for example, are responsive to compounds referred to as retinoids, which include retinoic acid, retinol (vitamin A), and a series of natural and synthetic derivatives which have been found to exert profound effects on development and differentiation in a wide variety of systems.
The identification of compounds which interact with retinoid receptors, and thereby affect transcription of genes which are responsive to retinoic acid (or other metabolites of vitamin A), would be of significant value, e.g., for therapeutic applications.
Recently, a retinoic acid dependent transcription factor, referred to as RAR-alpha (retinoic acid receptor-alpha), has been identified. Subsequently, two additional RAR-related genes have been isolated; thus there are now at least three different RAR subtypes (alpha, beta and gamma) known to exist in mice and humans. These retinoic acid receptors (RARs) share homology with the superfamily of steroid hormone and thyroid hormone receptors and have been shown to regulate specific gene expression by a similar ligand-dependent mechanism [Umesono et al., Nature 336: 262 (1988)]. These RAR subtypes are expressed in distinct patterns throughout development and in the mature organism.
More recently, additional novel members of the steroid/thyroid superfamily of receptors have been identified, such as, for example, retinoid X receptor-alpha [RXR-.alpha.; see Mangelsdorf et al., in Nature 345: 224-229 (1990)], retinoid X receptor-beta [RXR-.beta.; see Hamada et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86: 8289-8293 (1989)], and retinoid X receptor-gamma [RXR-.gamma.; see Mangelsdorf et al., Genes and Development 6:329-344 (1992)]. While these novel receptors are responsive to retinoic acid, the primary exogenous inducer(s) for these receptors have not been identified.
Although both RAR and RXR respond to retinoic acid in vivo, the receptors differ in several important aspects. First, RAR and RXR are significantly divergent in primary structure (e.g., the ligand binding domains of RAR.alpha. and RXR.alpha. have only 27% amino acid identity). These structural differences are reflected in different relative degrees of responsiveness of RAR and RXR to various vitamin A metabolites and synthetic retinoids. In addition, distinctly different patterns of tissue distribution are seen for RAR and RXR. In contrast to the RARs, which are not expressed at high levels in the visceral tissues, RXR.alpha. mRNA has been shown to be most abundant in the liver, kidney, lung, muscle and intestine. Finally, response elements have recently been identified in the cellular retinol binding protein type II (CRBPII) and apolipoprotein AI genes which confer responsiveness to RXR, but not RAR. Indeed, RAR has also been recently shown to repress RXR-mediated activation through the CRBPII RXR response element. These data, in conjunction with the observation that both RAR and RXR can activate through the RAR response element of the RAR.beta. promoter, indicate that the two retinoic acid responsive pathways are not simply redundant, but instead manifest a complex interplay.
In view of the related, but clearly distinct nature of these receptors, the identification of ligands which are more selective for the retinoid X receptor than is retinoic acid would be of great value in selectively controlling processes mediated by one or both of these retinoid receptor types.
Other information helpful in the understanding and practice of the present invention can he found in commonly assigned, co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 108,471, filed Oct. 20, 1987 (now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 5,071,773); 276,536, filed Nov. 30, 1988 (now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 4,981,784); 325,240, filed Mar. 17, 1989; 370,407, filed Jun. 22, 1989; and 438,757, filed Nov. 16, 1989, all of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.